Letter from Indonesian community threatened by pulp-and-paper

Regarding: UPHOLDING TELUK MERANTI COMMUNITY RIGHTS
To the Honourable,
President Director of RAPP company (April)
With this, the community of Teluk Meranti subdistrict, based on our needs to the land located across the river or land intended to become a part of your company’s operational area, declares that it: REJECTS THE PRESENCE OF THE RAPP COMPANY.
This is done with regard to the below considerations:

The land is to be retained for our grandchildren’s future

Experiences by other surrounding villages or areas where RAPP company has operated which have impacted negatively on the local community’s rights

It has caused loss of agricultural and horticultural land belonging to the community

The community will lose the source of its livelihood (economic, social and cultural) from the forest which will be converted to an industrial timber plantation

We, the community of Teluk Meranti, have inhabited and utilised this area in a wise and traditional way far preceeding Indonesia’s independence.
Thus concludes this rejection letter, made with great consideration so that unwanted problems will be avoided in the future.
Respectfully yours,
The community of Teluk Meranti

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